Editor reviews

Average editor rating from: 3 user(s)

The absinthe is a bright, spectacular peridot. Clean and clear, it's wonderful. It smells of fruity anise, with a bit of a floral quality. Good balance.

With water the louche stars slow but then erupts, ending in medium in thickness. Excellent milk jade colour with blue around the edges. There's now a great balance of aromatic wormwood and fruity anise. Classic character. A tad earthy from the fennel. Nothing jumps out and nothing is deficient.

The flavour is delightful. Still tremendous balance, not just of herbs but of sweet, bitter, and savoury. Not really inventive but perfectly captures the classic absinthe ideal as I see it. Citrus notes, mint, perhaps a cinnamon-like spice.

The finish is an interplay of bright wormwood with the fruitier aspect of the anise weaving around each other, fading into a soft bitterness. Really hovers on the sides of the tongue.

If someone were to ask me what a classic, no-messing-around absinthe is like, then this is the one I'd suggest. It's a brilliant encapsulation of what absinthe is all about.

Excellent and classic.

The absinthe is a bright, spectacular peridot. Clean and clear, it's wonderful. It smells of fruity anise, with a bit of a floral quality. Good balance.

With water the louche stars slow but then erupts, ending in medium in thickness. Excellent milk jade colour with blue around the edges. There's now a great balance of aromatic wormwood and fruity anise. Classic character. A tad earthy from the fennel. Nothing jumps out and nothing is deficient.

The flavour is delightful. Still tremendous balance, not just of herbs but of sweet, bitter, and savoury. Not really inventive but perfectly captures the classic absinthe ideal as I see it. Citrus notes, mint, perhaps a cinnamon-like spice.

The finish is an interplay of bright wormwood with the fruitier aspect of the anise weaving around each other, fading into a soft bitterness. Really hovers on the sides of the tongue.

If someone were to ask me what a classic, no-messing-around absinthe is like, then this is the one I'd suggest. It's a brilliant encapsulation of what absinthe is all about.

OK, for the second time, I've decided to post reviews of two sibling absinthes, completed the same day, tasting each side by side. This review and the review of the La Berthe De Joux, dated the same, are intended as a pair. There have been many commentaries on these two recent E. Pernot vertes, so here's my "compare and contrast" impressions. Everyone seems to have their favorite. I wish I could be that decisive.

Color
Unlouched, beautiful crystal clear peridot with impressive golden reflections. Clarity and brightness are top-notch. Jewell-like, brilliant. Louched, significant retention of the green. With low light, a classic jade green. Under very good light, highlights of yellows, golds, whitish blue at the edges and a very pretty tangerine glow at the bottom.

Louche
This is opalescence, a nice kaleidoscope of classic louche tones. Great sheen, almost "glassy" looking. The "weight" and translucence are right at the limits (upper and lower, respectively). Any more, and I would consider this too opaque. For good measure, the entertainment getting there is worth the price of admission... nice thick jell-looking trails, rolling, fogging, a lengthy show (I'm sure 72% abv has something to do with this).

Aroma
Unlouched, anise and fennel in impeccable balance with bright herbs and flowers. Clearly a grape base, very clean. Louched, balance, balance, balance. I'm not sure I've ever experienced another absinthe where there are so many identifiable facets with this level of balance. Great balance of the trinity, with "airy" little speckles of other herbs and flowers dancing around the edges. Occasionally a slight waft of brandy/honey/chocolate/toffee peeks out. Really quite complex. No sense of alcohol heat neat, or louched.

Flavor
Overall a very sweet, fruity impression. The anise, fennel, and hyssop are so perfectly in tune, lending that "confectionery" character I find an absolute turn-on. The wormwood and pontica nip away at the edges of the tongue from just a half-step behind. The myriad herbs and flowers carry over from the nose. Nice sense of weight, but not too much. A very satiny mouthfeel. A slight, slight spice on the attack, a slight tingliness on the entire palate. Everything focused by a hint of lemon.

Finish
A perfect linear fade of all the nose and palate impressions, and a long fade it is. Bright, fresh and refreshing... very serious. Nothing frivolous or overdone here. A slight drying, countered by a salival activating juiciness. A long subtle tingling on the tongue. Not wildly complex, but just beautiful.

Overall
This is right in the mix with the best absinthes I have tasted. Complex, balanced, classic, intriguing. My favorite dilution is knocking on the door of 5:1. It's so clean, so correct, it could be the high end Pontarlier prototype. I love its sibling LBdJ, but there the slight imbalances and excesses are what create its distinctive character. This one, however, is a classic beauty. It reminds me, in principal, of Pacifique... do it right, do it well, don't over-do it. The recent output of the E. Pernot distillery has established them clearly as one of the best in the world for absinthe. Bravo Perroquet!

Perroquet is all the expected louche tones in the zone.
LbdJ louche is slightly more bluish, slightly more "glassy" looking.

Perroquet is very highly complex.
LBdJ is highly complex.

Perroquet is classic, refined, detailed.
LBdJ pushes limits without going over the top.

Perroquet if you like Bentleys, Vuitton, and Harry Winston.
LBdJ if you like Hummers, Prada, and Chris Aire.

Perroquet for the "pinky out" crowd.
LBdJ for those who have hair on their chest (or those who want some!).

Perroquet - "Polly want a cracker?"
LBdJ - "Polly want some crack?"

So... I can't tell you all what a process crafting these two reviews has been. These reviews probably represent the sacrifice of 80% of a bottle of LBdJ, and 65% of a bottle of Perroquet. Recently, in a WS thread, there was some talk about how others impressions of beverages set one up for expectations of what to perceive. I'm as susceptible as anyone, of course. As such, I have parsed these offerings more, and compared more thoroughly to other top-notch absinthes than any other reviews I have written (including tasting short doses of my top 4 or 5 rated absinthes immediately after writing these to serve as a double-check). And I can say that any rating of "4" that either received, was so close to a "5" that I could have knocked it over the line with my heel (the same is probably true with "4" ratings for other top absinthes I've reviewed). Both are stunningly good, both are worthy of any serious absintheur's attention.

Polly Want A... Perroquet!

OK, for the second time, I've decided to post reviews of two sibling absinthes, completed the same day, tasting each side by side. This review and the review of the La Berthe De Joux, dated the same, are intended as a pair. There have been many commentaries on these two recent E. Pernot vertes, so here's my "compare and contrast" impressions. Everyone seems to have their favorite. I wish I could be that decisive.

Color
Unlouched, beautiful crystal clear peridot with impressive golden reflections. Clarity and brightness are top-notch. Jewell-like, brilliant. Louched, significant retention of the green. With low light, a classic jade green. Under very good light, highlights of yellows, golds, whitish blue at the edges and a very pretty tangerine glow at the bottom.

Louche
This is opalescence, a nice kaleidoscope of classic louche tones. Great sheen, almost "glassy" looking. The "weight" and translucence are right at the limits (upper and lower, respectively). Any more, and I would consider this too opaque. For good measure, the entertainment getting there is worth the price of admission... nice thick jell-looking trails, rolling, fogging, a lengthy show (I'm sure 72% abv has something to do with this).

Aroma
Unlouched, anise and fennel in impeccable balance with bright herbs and flowers. Clearly a grape base, very clean. Louched, balance, balance, balance. I'm not sure I've ever experienced another absinthe where there are so many identifiable facets with this level of balance. Great balance of the trinity, with "airy" little speckles of other herbs and flowers dancing around the edges. Occasionally a slight waft of brandy/honey/chocolate/toffee peeks out. Really quite complex. No sense of alcohol heat neat, or louched.

Flavor
Overall a very sweet, fruity impression. The anise, fennel, and hyssop are so perfectly in tune, lending that "confectionery" character I find an absolute turn-on. The wormwood and pontica nip away at the edges of the tongue from just a half-step behind. The myriad herbs and flowers carry over from the nose. Nice sense of weight, but not too much. A very satiny mouthfeel. A slight, slight spice on the attack, a slight tingliness on the entire palate. Everything focused by a hint of lemon.

Finish
A perfect linear fade of all the nose and palate impressions, and a long fade it is. Bright, fresh and refreshing... very serious. Nothing frivolous or overdone here. A slight drying, countered by a salival activating juiciness. A long subtle tingling on the tongue. Not wildly complex, but just beautiful.

Overall
This is right in the mix with the best absinthes I have tasted. Complex, balanced, classic, intriguing. My favorite dilution is knocking on the door of 5:1. It's so clean, so correct, it could be the high end Pontarlier prototype. I love its sibling LBdJ, but there the slight imbalances and excesses are what create its distinctive character. This one, however, is a classic beauty. It reminds me, in principal, of Pacifique... do it right, do it well, don't over-do it. The recent output of the E. Pernot distillery has established them clearly as one of the best in the world for absinthe. Bravo Perroquet!

Perroquet is all the expected louche tones in the zone.
LbdJ louche is slightly more bluish, slightly more "glassy" looking.

Perroquet is very highly complex.
LBdJ is highly complex.

Perroquet is classic, refined, detailed.
LBdJ pushes limits without going over the top.

Perroquet if you like Bentleys, Vuitton, and Harry Winston.
LBdJ if you like Hummers, Prada, and Chris Aire.

Perroquet for the "pinky out" crowd.
LBdJ for those who have hair on their chest (or those who want some!).

Perroquet - "Polly want a cracker?"
LBdJ - "Polly want some crack?"

So... I can't tell you all what a process crafting these two reviews has been. These reviews probably represent the sacrifice of 80% of a bottle of LBdJ, and 65% of a bottle of Perroquet. Recently, in a WS thread, there was some talk about how others impressions of beverages set one up for expectations of what to perceive. I'm as susceptible as anyone, of course. As such, I have parsed these offerings more, and compared more thoroughly to other top-notch absinthes than any other reviews I have written (including tasting short doses of my top 4 or 5 rated absinthes immediately after writing these to serve as a double-check). And I can say that any rating of "4" that either received, was so close to a "5" that I could have knocked it over the line with my heel (the same is probably true with "4" ratings for other top absinthes I've reviewed). Both are stunningly good, both are worthy of any serious absintheur's attention.

Finish: Surprisingly light-bodied for the amount of astringency. Has a mouth feel reminiscent of cognac. Has a nice tingling effect on the tongue.

Overall: Much spicier and bold than the light and soft types of expectations I had for some reason. Could be the name/packaging that put the idea in my head. The vegetal aspect I mentioned is not overt but warrants a small deduction. This would score higher in my book with more complexity in the flavor or aroma.

Finish: Surprisingly light-bodied for the amount of astringency. Has a mouth feel reminiscent of cognac. Has a nice tingling effect on the tongue.

Overall: Much spicier and bold than the light and soft types of expectations I had for some reason. Could be the name/packaging that put the idea in my head. The vegetal aspect I mentioned is not overt but warrants a small deduction. This would score higher in my book with more complexity in the flavor or aroma.

The color look a classic peridot green, clear and bright.
good louche
aroma and flavor. I detect something that to my noob tongue tastes like grapefruit. Without sugar it is sinkable for me, but my wife loved it. with sugar it is quite enjoyable, with a nice creamy mouthfeel. The finish is quite nice.
Overall a nice refreshing absinthe, but one that to my taste needs a little help from the sugar. Not really a knock, since I do enjoy the ritual.

Tasty Grapefruit

The color look a classic peridot green, clear and bright.
good louche
aroma and flavor. I detect something that to my noob tongue tastes like grapefruit. Without sugar it is sinkable for me, but my wife loved it. with sugar it is quite enjoyable, with a nice creamy mouthfeel. The finish is quite nice.
Overall a nice refreshing absinthe, but one that to my taste needs a little help from the sugar. Not really a knock, since I do enjoy the ritual.

Sampled at 3:1 and 4:1 with and without sugar, over a month of drinking this.
I enjoyed it every way I tried it.

Color: is a very natural and light peridot. Were it a tiny bit deeper and richer it would have been perfect for my eyes.

Louche: For those who consider action important, thick swirling trails turn slowly to smoke, then build into a rolling fog. Lovely to watch. For me, the ultimate test is the final louche; a lovely light green with opalescent light play.

Aroma: A warm yet crisp and inviting aroma neat. The grape base was clearly evident. A subtle woody quality that promised good things to come. Upon adding water, the grape base opens and a light herbal aroma wafts up. Inviting and promising.

Flavor: Artful, light, balanced, floral, fruity, warm, crisp, delicious. A perfect blend of the trinity with light spice and florals. Anise is backed up by fennel and a lightly bitter and delicious wormwood. I am sensing the sweet floral influence of pontica as well, along with a sweet conifer edge of hyssop. The grape base is absolutlely wonderful, perhaps the best grape base I've experienced; it is warm, round and sophisticated. Not at all overpowering in any way. I could drink this forever and never get tired of it. There is a slight warm woodiness in the background that is just wonderful that again, is perhaps part of this fine grape base. I have downgraded it to a 4, as I sense the slightest bit of alcohol from time to time, and its "oak barrel" sister is an improvement on this. I love
this flavor profile, and it is a favorite everyday "go to" for me!

Finish: A very nice finish that pulls lightly, unfolds, and lingers. Very nice tingle at the back of the mouth and tip of the tongue. Sweet, yet slightly bitter...a gentle and very nice finish. I was left with a warm velvet-like feel from the grape base. A delicious fennel hangs in there until the end.

Overall: Pernot is gifting us all with great absinthe. Between Maison Fontaine, this very nice absinthe, and Berthe De Joux, they have redefined commercial French absinthe and established themselves as one of the best there is.

Pretty Parrot

Sampled at 3:1 and 4:1 with and without sugar, over a month of drinking this.
I enjoyed it every way I tried it.

Color: is a very natural and light peridot. Were it a tiny bit deeper and richer it would have been perfect for my eyes.

Louche: For those who consider action important, thick swirling trails turn slowly to smoke, then build into a rolling fog. Lovely to watch. For me, the ultimate test is the final louche; a lovely light green with opalescent light play.

Aroma: A warm yet crisp and inviting aroma neat. The grape base was clearly evident. A subtle woody quality that promised good things to come. Upon adding water, the grape base opens and a light herbal aroma wafts up. Inviting and promising.

Flavor: Artful, light, balanced, floral, fruity, warm, crisp, delicious. A perfect blend of the trinity with light spice and florals. Anise is backed up by fennel and a lightly bitter and delicious wormwood. I am sensing the sweet floral influence of pontica as well, along with a sweet conifer edge of hyssop. The grape base is absolutlely wonderful, perhaps the best grape base I've experienced; it is warm, round and sophisticated. Not at all overpowering in any way. I could drink this forever and never get tired of it. There is a slight warm woodiness in the background that is just wonderful that again, is perhaps part of this fine grape base. I have downgraded it to a 4, as I sense the slightest bit of alcohol from time to time, and its "oak barrel" sister is an improvement on this. I love
this flavor profile, and it is a favorite everyday "go to" for me!

Finish: A very nice finish that pulls lightly, unfolds, and lingers. Very nice tingle at the back of the mouth and tip of the tongue. Sweet, yet slightly bitter...a gentle and very nice finish. I was left with a warm velvet-like feel from the grape base. A delicious fennel hangs in there until the end.

Overall: Pernot is gifting us all with great absinthe. Between Maison Fontaine, this very nice absinthe, and Berthe De Joux, they have redefined commercial French absinthe and established themselves as one of the best there is.